Background: Worm infection is one of the most common diseases affecting livestock, one of those diseases is Toxocara vitulorum. Infection can cause diarrhea, reduced productivity, intestinal and bile obstruction, to death in livestock. However, this disease is often ignored by farmers. Observing from an economic perspective, this disease results in very high losses for farmers. Objective: This study aimed to determine the effect of dairy calves age on the prevalence of toxocariasis and determine the effect of different degrees of toxocariasis infection on dairy calves (Holstein Friesian). Methods: This study used a descriptive laboratory method. The samples studied were 120 stool or feces samples of calves aged 0-6 months. The number of samples in each age group of 0-2 months, 2-4 months and 4-6 months were 40 samples. The independent variable of this study was the age of dairy calves. The dependent variables were the prevalence and degree of toxocariasis infection. Whereas, the control variables were feed and cattle nation. Results: From 120 samples studied, 5 feces samples were positively infected with T. vitulorum. From 5 samples that were positively infected, 4 of them came from the age group of 0-2 months and the other 1 from the age group of 2-4 months. Whereas, in the 4-6 month age group all negative samples were from T. vitulorum infection. The mean value of infection rates in the 0-2 month age group was 4.219, in the 2-4 month age group was 1.066 and in the 4-6 month age group was 0.707. Conclusion: The prevalence of toxocariasis and the degree of toxocariasis infection based on the most influential age differences were at the age of 0-2 months.

1. http://www.iaeme.com/IJCIET/index.asp 413 editor@iaeme.com
International Journal of Civil Engineering and Technology (IJCIET)
Volume 10, Issue 05, May 2019, pp. 413-417, Article ID: IJCIET_10_05_044
Available online at http://www.iaeme.com/ijciet/issues.asp?JType=IJCIET&VType=10&IType=05
ISSN Print: 0976-6308 and ISSN Online: 0976-6316
© IAEME Publication
PREVALENCE AND DEGREE OF INFECTION
OF TOXOCARIASIS IN DAIRY CALVES
(HOLSTEIN FRIESIAN) WITH SEVERAL AGE
GROUPS
Edward Yonas Kristijanto, Kusnoto*and Suryanie Sarudji
Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universitas Airlangga
Jl. Mulyorejo, Kampus C Universitas Airlangga, Indonesia 60115
*Correspondence Author
ABSTRACT
Background: Worm infection is one of the most common diseases affecting
livestock, one of those diseases is Toxocara vitulorum. Infection can cause diarrhea,
reduced productivity, intestinal and bile obstruction, to death in livestock. However,
this disease is often ignored by farmers. Observing from an economic perspective, this
disease results in very high losses for farmers.
Objective: This study aimed to determine the effect of dairy calves age on the
prevalence of toxocariasis and determine the effect of different degrees of toxocariasis
infection on dairy calves (Holstein Friesian).
Methods: This study used a descriptive laboratory method. The samples studied
were 120 stool or feces samples of calves aged 0-6 months. The number of samples in
each age group of 0-2 months, 2-4 months and 4-6 months were 40 samples. The
independent variable of this study was the age of dairy calves. The dependent variables
were the prevalence and degree of toxocariasis infection. Whereas, the control
variables were feed and cattle nation.
Results: From 120 samples studied, 5 feces samples were positively infected with
T. vitulorum. From 5 samples that were positively infected, 4 of them came from the
age group of 0-2 months and the other 1 from the age group of 2-4 months. Whereas,
in the 4-6 month age group all negative samples were from T. vitulorum infection. The
mean value of infection rates in the 0-2 month age group was 4.219, in the 2-4 month
age group was 1.066 and in the 4-6 month age group was 0.707.
Conclusion: The prevalence of toxocariasis and the degree of toxocariasis infection
based on the most influential age differences were at the age of 0-2 months.
Keywords: toxocariasis, dairy calf, Holstein Friesian, prevalence, infection degree

2. Edward Yonas Kristijanto, Kusnoto*and Suryanie Sarudji
http://www.iaeme.com/IJCIET/index.asp 414 editor@iaeme.com
Cite this Article: Edward Yonas Kristijanto, Kusnoto*and Suryanie Sarudji,
Prevalence and Degree of Infection of Toxocariasis in Dairy Calves (Holstein
Friesian) with Several Age Groups. International Journal of Civil Engineering and
Technology, 10(05), 2019, pp. 413-417
http://www.iaeme.com/IJCIET/issues.asp?JType=IJCIET&VType=10&IType=05
1. INTRODUCTION
Dairy cows are food sources for livestock, such as meat and milk. The type of dairy cattle raised
by Indonesian breeders as a source of milk is the type of Friesian Holstein (FH) cattle. Many
diseases attack dairy cows, especially parasitic diseases, one of which is worm infections.
However, diseases in livestock, especially those caused by worm infections, have not received
special attention from farmers 1
.
One of the economically harmful digestive worms is T. vitulorum which belongs to the
asciridae family. The genus Toxocara is a nematode that attacks humans and animals, its types
are T. canis, T. cati, T. leonine, T. malaysiensis and T. vitulorum 2
. Toxocariasis can occur in
dogs, cats, cattle, cows, or buffaloes 3
. T. vitulorum is spread throughout the world, but its
prevalence is very closely related to climate conditions. In countries with hot and humid
climates, such as sub-tropical countries, the prevalence is higher than cold and dry climates 4
.
The results of this worm infection highly suppress livestock productivity, which will be an
economic burden if no control is carried out 5
.
This worm attacks young animals, especially those aged 1-3 months 2
. The most important
of these infections is the epidemiology of T. vitulorum, i.e. the occurrence of larvae
transmission through milk from the mother during the first 3 weeks of lactation, not because
of digesting eggs from the environment 5–7
. Worms digested by calves then develop into adults
within 3-4 weeks and begin laying eggs in feces. T. vitulorum eggs do not hatch in the
environment, but the larvae in the egg turn into infective third stage larvae. The infective eggs
hatch in the host and the larvae penetrate the intestinal wall and become dormant in the muscles,
liver, some are found in the lymph nodes or lungs 4,8
.
Symptoms caused by worm infections are related to the number of adult worms in the calf’s
small intestine. Moderate infections cause diarrhea, while severe infections can cause anorexia,
constipation, dehydration, steatorrhea, abdominal pain and intestinal obstruction, decreased
performance and productivity, even death 8–10
.
After infection, detection may be difficult because the worm has spread to other body parts
4
. Detection of the incidence of T. vitulorum worm infection can be done by fecal examination.
This examination is done to detect the occurrence of toxocariasis in dairy cows so that the
infection can be cured, thus the losses suffered can be minimized to a minimum. A fecal
examination is the only examination that can detect safely without having to kill livestock. The
prevalence of worm infections shows different results for each age group of calves.
This study aimed to determine whether there is the influence of calf age on the prevalence
of toxocariasis and the influence of the degree of toxocariasis infection on the age of calves.
2. MATERIALS AND METHODS
This study used a descriptive laboratory method of research design carried out by cross-
sectional. The independent variable in this study was the age of Holstein Friesian dairy cows.
The dependent variables were the prevalence and degree of toxocariasis infection and the
control variable was feed and cattle nation.

3. Prevalence and Degree of Infection of Toxocariasis in Dairy Calves (Holstein Friesian) with
Several Age Groups
http://www.iaeme.com/IJCIET/index.asp 415 editor@iaeme.com
Materials: The research materials of this study were calf stool in a fresh condition taken
from rectum, aquadest, 1/2 kg sucrose in 30 ml of water, with 10% formalin (as a preservative).
Equipment: The equipment used in this study were pot ointment, mess filter, plastic cup,
measuring cup, stirring rod, glass object, glass cover, label paper, centrifuge, centrifugation
tube rack, counting room, Pasteur pipette, and microscope.
Sample: The number of samples examined in this study was 120 samples of Friesian
Holstein dairy calves. The sample used was a fresh stool that just came out of the anus. The
stool was then put into plastic or pot ointment and given with 10% formalin solution.
Sample examination: Calf stool was examined by the negative method, sedimentation
method and buoyancy method to determine whether there were worm eggs from any genus or
species that infected the cow. In a positive sample, T. vitulorum worm eggs were identified.
Positive samples of T. vitulorum worm eggs which were already identified were continued with
the calculation of worm eggs per gram of stool using the Lucent Brumpt method.
Data analysis: To determine the prevalence and degree of infection of the gastrointestinal
T. vitulorum worm in dairy calves (FH), prevalence data analysis was carried out using Chi-
Square, while data on infection rates were analyzed by F test. Furthermore, an analysis of the
IBS program SPSS 21.0 for Windows was conducted.
3. RESULTS
The distribution of the number of dairy calves that have T. vitulorum infection can be seen in
Table 1. After examining the sample, there were 5 out of 120 samples that were positively
infected with T. vitulorum worms. The highest prevalence of calves infected with T. vitulorum
based on age was at the age of 0-2 months with the number 4 of 5 samples infected.
Table 1. Distribution of calves infected with T. vitulorum
Age of dairy calves (months) Toxocariasis positive Toxocariasis Negative
0-2 4 (10%) 36 (90%)
2-4 1 (2.5%) 39 (97.5%)
4-6 0 (0%) 40 (100%)
The degree of toxocariasis infection was obtained by a large number of worm eggs found
in Holstein Friesian (HF) dairy cow feces samples. The severity of infection can be seen in
Table 2. The highest value of infection degree was from 0-2 months of age as much as 4,219,
the second was age group of 2-4 months with a mean value of 1,066 and age group of 4-6
months with a mean value of 0,707. The statistical test was done using ANOVA and Duncan
Tests. At the age of 2-4 and 4-6 months there were no significant differences, whereas at the
age of 0-2 and 2-4 months there were significant differences with age 0-2 and 4-6 months there
were also significant differences (p-value <0.01).
Table 2. The severity of infection in dairy calves
Age of dairy calves
(months)
Mean ± Std. Deviation
Original Data (Number of
Eggs per Gram of Feces)
V transformation (y + ½)
0-2 25.50 4.219 ± 6.736*
2-4 5.50 1.066 ± 2.236**
4-6 0 0.707 ± 0**
Note: * = The difference is significant ** = The difference is not significant

4. Edward Yonas Kristijanto, Kusnoto*and Suryanie Sarudji
http://www.iaeme.com/IJCIET/index.asp 416 editor@iaeme.com
4. DISCUSSION
The prevalence of toxocariasis was found to be lower than the results of previous studies in
other regions in Indonesia 1
. This may occur due to weather changes in the last few decades,
which affect the spread of organisms. The decrease in prevalence in older cows is caused by at
least 3 of the following causes, i.e. the cessation of new Trans-mammary infections in dairy
calves a few days after birth, adult worm deaths, and increased host immunity. Trans-mammary
infection is the main infection route that produces adult worms in calf intestines. Calves receive
more Toxocara larvae infection when breastfeeding and the Trans-mammary route plays an
important role in the Toxocara life cycle 6
. Infection through infective eggs does not produce
adult worms 11
. It very rarely occurs even in calves.
Based on the results of the Eggs Per Gram (EPG) calculation, the results for each age group
were relatively low. The discovery of T. vitulorum with more than 100,000 epg can be a factor
causing calf mortality 1
. The discovery of more than 20,000 epg T. vitulorum can be classified
as severe infection and is thought to have been an indicator of the pathogenesis of the worm. It
has been found that the case of toxocariasis with the number of eggs of T. vitulorum as many
as 2,700-16,000 has caused mild diarrhea and dehydration. Whereas, the number of eggs as
many as 31,000-66,000 epg may cause toxemia 1
.
The degree of infection decreases along with the age increase of calves with the results of
the 0-2 month age group higher than other age groups. The degree of this infection can decrease
with increasing age of calves. The high degree of toxocariasis infection in the age group of 0-
2 months showed or described the mild intensity of infection. Whereas, the age of calves of 2-
4 months with the age of calves of 4-6 months did not show the intensity of infection so that
the results showed that toxocariasis infection was dominated by calves. At the age of 6 months,
the calf spontaneously gives out worms from its body 7
.
Although the prevalence of toxocariasis is low, breeders must also remain vigilant because
this worm infection is zoonotic. This is because farmers have a lot of contact with their
livestock. The transmission medium is from the soil contained T. vitulorum worm eggs
(gardens, playgrounds). It is also caused by not washing hands or eating raw vegetables or
directly contacting with infected animals 12
. The risk of contracting this worm infection will
increase if it is supported by poor environmental sanitation.
5. CONCLUSION
The incidence rate of prevalence and degree of toxocariasis infection based on the most
influential age difference is at the age of 0-2 months in which indeed the incidence of worm
infections decreases with increasing age of livestock.
ETHICAL CLEARANCE
The research process involves participants in the survey using a questionnaire that was
accordant with the ethical research principle based on the regulation of research ethic
committee. The present study was carried out in accordance with the research principles. This
study implemented the basic principle ethics of respect, beneficence, non-maleficence, and
justice.
CONFLICT OF INTEREST
The author reports no conflict of interest of this work.

5. Prevalence and Degree of Infection of Toxocariasis in Dairy Calves (Holstein Friesian) with
Several Age Groups
http://www.iaeme.com/IJCIET/index.asp 417 editor@iaeme.com
SOURCE OF FUNDING
This study is done with individual funding.
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